Cotton-chopper



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J. L. HUGHES. COTTON GHOPPER.'

No. 252.221; Patented Jan. 10,1882.

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' Ill /-u\ llllllllu iIlllllllli 'l INVENTOR ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

' JOSIAH L. HUGHES, OF CLEVELAND, TENNESSEE.

COTTON-CHOPPER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 252,221, dated January 10, 1882..

Application filed September 3, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J osmn L. Huenns, of Cleveland, in the county of Bradley and State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cotton-Choppers, of which the following is a specification.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similarletters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a plan view of my improvement. Fig. 2 isa sectional elevation of the same, taken through the line m 00, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the same. Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation of a partof the same, taken through the line yg ,-Figs. 2 and5. Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation of a part of the same, taken through the line zz, Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a side view of the outer part of one of the radial knife carrying arms. Fig. 7 is a view of the middlepart of one of the knives and its shank.

The object of this invention is to facilitate the chopping of cotton to a stand and promote convenience in guiding and controlling the choppers.

The invention consists in a cotton-chopper constructed with a carriage, gear-wheels connected with the rotary axle of the carriage, two shafts connected by a universal joint, radial arms attached to the rear shaft and carry. mg the chopping-knives,plows provided with colters for barring 0d the rows, an upright frame, the handles, and a swiveled bearing for connecting the plow-beams and handles with the shaft, whereby the chopper can be readily guided and controlled, as will be hereinafter fully described.

1n the drawings, A represents the frame of the machine, to the forward end of which are attached the thills B.

p In bearings attached to the side bars of the frame A revolves the axle 0 of the wheels D.

To the axle O, at one side of its center, is attached a beveled-gear whrel, E, the teeth of which mesh into the teeth of a beveled-gear wheel, F, attached'to thei'orward end of the short shaft G. The shaft Gr revolves in bearings attached to the rear cross-bar ot' the frame A, and with its rear end is connected bya universal joint, H, the forward end of a shaft, I,

to the rear end of which are attached the inreceive the bolts that fasten the shanks K of 5 the cutters or knives L to the said arms, so that the cutters or knives L can be adjusted to work at any desired depth in the ground, and to leave more or less of the plants as the adjustment to and from the center opens and closes the distance between the knives. The knives L are curved in about the arc of a circle having its center in the axis of the shaft I, areset at an inclination with the plane of the radial arms J, and have their forward edges sharpened, so that there will be space between the rear end of each knife and the forward end of the next knife to leave enough plants for a hill. Upon the forward part of the shaft I is placed a bearing, M, which is kept in place by two collars attached to or formed upon the said shaft I, or by other suitable means.

To the lower side of the swiveled bearing M,

upon the opposite sides of the shaft I, are attached the forward ends of the plow-beams N, the rear ends of which are curved downward, and to them are attached plows O to scrape or bar off the rows of plants. The beams N are made of such a length that the plowsO will be a little in front of the cutters or knives L.

To the beams N, a little in front of the plows 0,-are attached colters P, to cutthe soil and prevent the plants from being torn awayby the said plows in casethe soil should becaked or hard. The draft-strain upon the colters P is sustained by braces Q, attached to them and to the plow-beams N.

attached the lower ends of the side bars of an upright frame, R, to the center of the cross-bar of which is attached the rear bearing for the shaft I, which is adjusted by means of slots in the side barsof the upright frame It for regulating the depth of the knives in the soil. The upper ends of the side bars of the frame R are attached to the round S, that connects the rear parts of the handles T. The forward ends of the handles T are attached to the upper side of the bearin gs M upon the opposite sides of the shaft I,'as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 4, and 5.

With this construction the machine can be readily guided and controlled, even if the horse 2. In a cotton-chopper, the combination, with the frame and the gear-shaft G, of the-choppershaft I, the swivel H, the bearing'M, the beam 15 N, the handles T, and the upright frame R S, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

JOSIAH L. HUGHES.

Witnesses:

W. D. SMITH, JOHN DAVIS. 

